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Duke Nukem 2 Review

PROS

Save/Load system gives a generous safety net for the (at times) unforgiving difficulty of some stages.

Control options help to offset the otherwise clunky movement inherent to the original game.

CONS

Title has aged poorly over time; stop/start clunky action and maze-like stages may appeal to nostalgic fans, but requires the patience of a saint for those not used to its quirks.

Although the visuals remain sharp and as detailed as ever, they can be very difficult to look at on smaller iOS devices.

VERDICT

Duke Nukem 2 may burst with nostalgia, but it was always a fairly clunky side-scrolling shooter and little has changed since its debut in 1993.

Full Review

App Store Info

Every now and then you have to give the marketing department of a company their dues. When Interceptor Entertainment decided to bring the PC classic Duke Nukem 2 to the iOS platform, they opted to keep changes to a minimum, and as such their 'Key Features' list amusing entries such as 'insane VGA graphics' and '256 eye popping colors'. However, as amusing as it is, without some sort of attempt to meet modern gamers half way, this old-school side-scrolling shooter/platformer is only really going to click with the nostalgic amongst us.

The Apogee original set the groundwork for the infamous Duke Nukem franchise, packing the game with oodles of powerful, explosive weaponry; ugly monsters; and brutal fire fights. The focus on combat and exploration makes jumping a kind of novelty - as such it would be folly to expect the kind of smooth running and jumping of a traditional platformer. Instead you'll battle your way across each screen, popping chests and filling enemies with laser blasts and explosive charges in an effort to explore the maze-like stages for the exit.

It's not a pretty game, at least by today's standards, but it conveys all you need to know in a simple and efficient manner. The controls also feel horribly stiff, but this is less a problem with the touch interface and more a problem with original title's chunky framerate and limited agility. In the very least it's nice to have fixed and floating d-pad options (as well as the ability to adjust their placement) so you can make the best of a bad situation.

Duke Nukem 2 was an addictive, mindless side-scrolling action title, but we'd be lying if we said it has aged well. If you can look beyond the chunky graphics; the old school soundtrack; and the pedestrian action gameplay, the nostalgia might just be able to keep you interested long enough to complete the game.

Description

NOW 50% OFF - iOS 7 SUPPORT!
THE KING IS BACK!
DUKE NUKEM 2 - 20th ANNIVERSARY EDITION FOR iOS!

TOUCH ARCADE: ".. Time to kick ** and chew bubble gum!"

Duke Nukem II is everything you'd want from an action game. Duke blasts his way through your screen with enough firepower to wake your neighbors.

In 1993 Apogee released Duke Nukem II. Its explosive action made it an instant side-scrolling classic.

20 years later, Interceptor Entertainment and 3DRealms have teamed up to bring Duke Nukem II back.

Duke Nukem II for iOS lets you experience this 90′s classic all over again on the most popular gaming platform in the world!